Goodreads Reading Challenge 2023

I have started my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2023! I’ve already finished one book – Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli – but to be fair, I started it back in November. Lol. It counts, though, because I finished it this year.

I have since started my second book, Stacia Kane’s Unholy Ghosts. It is the first in the Downside Ghosts series. (I needed a new series to get invested in after finishing The Morganville Vampires.)

Unholy Ghosts is an urban fantasy novel that centers entirely around, you guessed it, ghosts. Here’s the synopsis, per Google Books:

“The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

I’m enjoying it so far, and I’m over halfway through. All of the characters that have been introduced are likable, even those without many redeeming qualities. I like Stacia’s writing style, as well.

I’ll give my rating with my next update! And please consider joining me for the challenge this year!

30 Day Film Challenge: Day 6 – Your Favorite Animated Film

As opposed to a cartoon, I’m going with stop-motion animation.

Coraline (2009) is not only my favorite animated films, it’s one of my favorite films period. I could watch it every single day and never tire of it.

30 Day Film Challenge: Day 3 – A Film That Has More Than Five Words

I presume they mean “A Film That Has More Than Five Words in the Title.” So…

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Four Months of Challenges

I am about to embark on a 30 day challenge. Actually, I’m doing one each month from December to March. I figure this is a good way to ensure I have something to post every day even when I’m struggling for inspiration. The four I found are:

  • 30 Day Song Challenge
  • 30 Day Film Challenge
  • 30 Day Horror Movie Challenge
  • 30 Day Book Challenge

Feel free to do these along with me, either on your own blog or in my comments! I would enjoy the company 🙂

Seeing as music is my main focus here, I’m going to start with the 30 Day Song Challenge. Tomorrow will be day one, so get ready!

Update to My 2022 Goodreads Challenge (11/5/22)

I finished Danielle Vega’s Survive the Night and Natasha Preston’s The Fear. Both were readable books, yet I was disappointed with the stories overall.

On the bright side, I stumbled upon Small Spaces by Katherine Arden thanks to an Instagram post and I loved it! Yes, it is considered a kids’ book, but y’all, the creepy factor was real. I will certainly be reading the rest of that particular series from Arden.

My mom brought me Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert. That was a disaster. If you don’t mind books with more smut than plot, this one should be right up your alley. Lol. I myself didn’t enjoy it.

And I know it seems horribly after the fact, but I just read The Maze Runner. I was unexpectedly impressed with the movie, and I tend to think the novels are always superior to the films, so of course I had to check it out. I couldn’t put it down. Another series I will have to follow through on.

My current reads are as follows:

Daylighters (Rachel Caine)

The Snakes (Sadie Jones)

This one was actually sent to me via a “blind date with a book” order from Etsy.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke – and Other Misfortunes (Eric LaRocca)

Once I finish these three, I will have completed my reading challenge for 2022!!!!!

My Favorite Psychological Horror Movies

I’m going to start this list with a shout-out to Smile. My friend and I went to see it last Tuesday, and I’ll admit my hopes weren’t very high. Hollywood hasn’t been giving us top-tier horror films lately. However, I really enjoyed Smile. There were a few too many attempts at jump scares – only one of which actually got us – but other than that, it was a solid plot that didn’t get too hokey. I would certainly recommend watching it, at least. Not that I’m promising it will be your new fave! Just…try it.

Split (2016)

One of my favorite movies ever, Split toes the line for me. I’m not sure I’d necessarily call it horror. Kevin is a sympathetic character, which makes it difficult to classify him as evil.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

American Psycho (2000)

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Midsommar (2019)

Cam (2018)

The Invitation (2015)

The Forest (2016)

Throwback Post: Top 5 Music Videos Based on Horror Films

This post was originally published in October 2019.

It’s October, which means spooky season, my favorite time of the year! I would have done a lot of horror/Halloween-themed posts if everything hadn’t been so hectic. But alas, that’s life.

With that being said, there are still seven days left until the month’s end, so I have time to get some of my Spooktober ideas uploaded.

My first special post for October is a Top Five list featuring music videos based on horror movies! Over the years, several artists have paid homage to their favorite scary film. The trend is most prevalent in the rock and metal genres, which is appropriate, don’t you think?

And here we go! (These are in no particular order.)

1. “The Kill” – Thirty Seconds to Mars // Based on Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining

2. “Beim Ersten Mal Tut’s Immer Weh” – Oomph! // Based on the psychological thriller Hard Candy, directed by David Slade and starring Ellen Page

3. “Engel” – Rammstein // Based on the snake dance scene in From Dusk Till Dawn

4. “Living Dead Girl” – Rob Zombie // Based on the 1920 silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, with a nod to White Zombie as well

5. “Hell in the Hallways” – Ice Nine Kills // Based on the film adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie

My Top 10 Favorite Slasher Flicks

Scream (1996)

Halloween II (1981)

Urban Legend

Cry_Wolf

Trick ‘r Treat

Halloween (1978)

The Final Girls

Terrifier

House of 1000 Corpses

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Man Crush Monday: Skeet Ulrich

I’m not sure what it says about me that my crush on Skeet Ulrich started with his portrayal of a serial killer – or that I find him the most attractive in that film, licking corn syrup off his fingers. Haha. I was thrilled when he made an appearance in Scream 5. Even after all these years, he’s still yummy!

My Favorite Found Footage Horror Movies

Behind slasher flicks like Scream, the found footage subgenre of horror is probably my favorite. Despite its weak start – I was not a fan of The Blair Witch Project, which was the first of these films I remember gaining any traction – this genre has grown into something really fun. So, here are a few found footage movies I would definitely recommend watching.

The Houses October Built (2014)

The Houses October Built 2 (2017)

Hell House LLC (2015)

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018)

The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)

I don’t normally enjoy possession movies, but The Taking of Deborah Logan is legitimately scary.

Unfriended (2014)

Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)

This is the one of the few sequels I liked more than the first.

Death of a Vlogger (2019)

The Lost Footage of Leah Sullivan (2018)

The Den (2013)

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021)

I have hated every Paranormal Activity movie – until this one. I was hesitant to watch it, but my BFF and her husband wanted to when I visited last Halloween. And I really enjoyed it.